Carbon & Biodiversity (CarBi) Programme

WWF and partners have embarked on the largest and most ambitious programme in the history of our involvement in the Greater Mekong region. Aimed at halting deforestation, through forest protection and sustainable use of forest resources, and preserving the unique species diversity, the programme covers an area of more than 200,000 ha of forest along a vital mountain range that links Laos and Vietnam in Southeast Asia.

The Greater Annamites mountain range is an area of high biodiversity, unique endemism, and includes one of the largest continuous natural forest areas in continental Asia. It is also an place where deforestation and illegal logging are rife.

Whilst the CarBi is important for species and forest conservation, it will also enhance the income of the area’s culturally diverse people who also depend on forests for their livelihoods.

The project area, equivalent to the size of more than 280,000 football pitches, is important in the fight against global climate change as the forests remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere – also known as a carbon sink – and our aim is for this project to reduce global emissions by an estimated 1.8 million tonnes of CO2.

WWF will work with partners, including local communities in the region to help rehabilitate, restore and protect the forest, including four protected areas, with two connecting corridors that will allow species to move between them. These protected areas provide unique habitat for some of Asia’s most charismatic and rare species, including many only recently discovered by scientists, such as the saola and douc.

The partnerships will also help to reduce the many threats the region is facing, including illegal or unsustainable logging, unsustainable agriculture and illegal timber trade, by training forest and local administration officials, and promoting sustainable forest management and sustainable livelihood initiatives that increase the income of local communities and businesses.

Overall the trans-boundary nature of the project will also help build future collaboration between both Laos and Vietnam.

CarBi Programme Area

The trans-boundary area (including Xe Sap NPA) in which CarBi operates.

Saola

In September 2013, one of CarBi’s camera traps photographed the enigmatic saola for the first time in the 21st century. Saola, one of the world’s most threatened mammals, had last been seen in 1999. This was a historic moment in CarBi’s efforts to protect the extraordinary biodiversity of its domain and is powerful evidence of the effectiveness of conservation efforts in its habitat. You can read more about the saola here.

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Conservation Economy

A Conservation Economy acknowledges the crucial value of sustainably conserved biodiversity to socio-economic development. Accordingly, CarBi works to ensure that objectives for biodiversity also take into account the needs of the people in the project area. It does this by supporting the implementation of policies that enhance livelihoods and make them more resilient, promoting sustainable economic activity and responsible land use, and by showing governments, business and communities that healthy and protected ecosystems can provide long-term support to local economies and beyond.

Forest loss is having severe and detrimental effect on the global climate, biodiversity and the ability of local communities to develop and sustain long-term livelihoods. The CarBi project will make a positive contribution to all three of these issues. A main outcome will be a 15% increase in the income of 400 households with benefits to 5,000-7,000 people from 100 villages across the region.

CarBi In Numbers

1.1 million dollars of income for the local economy113,261 person days of employment created47,674 snares removed924 illegal camps destroyed800 leech samples collected for pioneering DNA analysis31 species of animals and birds captured by camera traps